Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Appeasing Thoughts
Sheikh
Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
Appeasing Thoughts
| Appeasing Thoughts
2
Appeasing Thoughts
Introduction
All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of the Worlds, and prayers and blessings be
upon the Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam and his family and Companions
and the followers of the true path until the Day of Judgment.
To proceed:
Good morals are one of the attributes of the prophets, may Allaah exalt
their mention, and the righteous people. With morals a person gains high
rank and status. Good manners foster mutual love and harmony and bad
manners produce hatred and envy. The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa
sallam, urged us to have good manners and to hold onto them, combining
them with piety. He, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: The two main
characteristics that lead to Paradise are piety and good manners.
Soothing broken souls (Nafs) and appeasing the thoughts of people in
tribulation is one of the greatest causes of intimacy and love among
Muslims. It is a great Islaamic etiquette and is only acquired by nobleminded people. It is also a great form of worship. In fact, some scholars
have reported it under the chapter of Islaamic creed.
Ismaaeel ibn Muhammad Al Asbahaani, may Allaah have mercy on him,
said: "It is the doctrine of the followers of the Sunnah to be careful
with regard to the lawfulness of their food, drink and marriage and
they are merciful toward the weak ones. They have compassion for
Allaahs creation."
1
2
Appeasing Thoughts
The followers of the Sunnah know the truth, have mercy on creation
and wish guidance for them. This is why they have the most mercy and
the greatest sympathy and passion for people and they are truthful in
giving advice. Shaykh Al- Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy
on him, said: "The Sunni Imaams, and scholars, have knowledge, justice
and compassion.
They know the truth which agrees with the Sunnah and they have mercy
on the creation. They want good for them and they want guidance and
knowledge for them too.
Appeasing Thoughts
Appeasing Thoughts
1
2
Appeasing Thoughts
"But of course, O Messenger of Allaah!" He, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam,
said: 'Allaah does not speak to anyone except from behind a veil, but
he brought your father to speak to him directly. He said: '[O my
slave!] do you wish that I give you anything? He said: O lord! Give me
life so that I might fight for you a second time. So the Lord [blessed
and most high] said: It has been decreed by me that they shall not
return.'
He, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, would also help the ones who were in
debt to resolve it. One day, the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu alayhi
wa sallam, entered the mosque. There, he saw a man from the Ansaar
called Abu Umaamah. He, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: What is the
matter, that I am seeing you sitting in the mosque when it is not the
time of prayer? He said: I am entangled in cares and debts, O
Messenger of Allaah. He, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, replied: Shall I
not teach you words by which, when you say them, Allaah will remove
your care and settle your debt? He said: Why not, Messenger of
Allaah? He, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: Say in the morning and
evening: O Allaah, I seek refuge in thee from care and grief, I seek
refuge in thee from incapacity and slackness, I seek refuge in thee
from cowardice and niggardliness, and I seek in thee from being
overcome by debt and being put in subjection by men. He (Abu
Appeasing Thoughts
Umaamah) said: When I did that, Allaah removed my care and settled
my debt.
He, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, would also soothe the souls of those
who were depressed and oppressed.
When Abdullaah ibn Ubayy [leader of the hypocrites] said to his friend:
If we return to Madeenah, surely the most honorable [referring to his
men] will expel from there the humble [meaning the Prophet, sallallaahu
alayhi wa sallam, and his Companions]. Zayd ibn Arqam, may Allaah be
pleased with him, heard him and he reported what he had said to his
uncle. Then his uncle reported that to the Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa
sallam. The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, then saw Ibn Ubayy,
and the latter swore that he had never said anything of the sort.
Zayd, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated:
Appeasing Thoughts
Reported by Ibn Sad in his book At-Tabaqaat Al-Kubra (4/299), At-Thahabi in his book Siyar
Alaam An-Nubalaa (5/39) and Ibn Asaakir in his book Tareekh Dimashq (62/99).
2 Reported by At-Thahabi in his book Siyar Alaam An-Nubalaa (297/41).
3 Reported by At-Thahabi in his book Siyar Alaam An-Nubalaa (565/14).
Appeasing Thoughts
Ahmad ibn Ali Al-Rifaai used to collect fire wood and bring it to the
homes of widows and fill their urns.1
This is achieved by consoling them for their ordeal and decreasing their
suffering with good words and acts.
When Abdullaah ibn Az-Zubayr, may Allaah be pleased with him, was
crucified in Makkah it was said to Ibn Umar, may Allaah be pleased with
him, that Asmaa, may Allaah be pleased with her, was in the corner of
the mosque. As soon as he heard this, he went quickly to comfort her
and appease her soul for what had happened to her son. He said to her:
The body is nothing, but the soul is in Allaahs hands so fear Allaah and
be patient.2
When Ibraaheem ibn Muhammad ibn Talhah, may Allaah have mercy on
him, heard that Urwa ibn Az-Zubayrs leg had been amputated, he went
to comfort him. He said to him: By Allaah you are in no need of walking,
nor labor. A part of your body has preceded you, along with a son of
yours to Paradise. The whole shall follow the parts, by the will of Allaah,
and Allaah has left for us what we lack; your knowledge and opinion.
Allaah will reward you and 3
Qutaybah ibn Saeed, may Allaah have mercy on him, said: "When the
books of Ibn Laheeah were burnt, Layth ibn Sad sent him a thousand
dinars the next morning."
10
Appeasing Thoughts
Among those who are the most needy and who deserve to be
comforted are the families of prisoners:
You should communicate with them, visit, sponsor and generally take
good care of them, to prevent them from asking others and to protect
them from extortion, as looking after a prisoners children relieves his
burden and comforts him.
It is much needed in these times to appease our servants and remedy
their souls:
Some of them have left their families and homeland to live in a foreign
country, looking to earn a living and livelihood. So they need us to stand
by them and comfort them and appease their souls.
Ahmad ibn Abdul Hameed Al Haarithi, may Allaah have mercy on him,
said:
11
Appeasing Thoughts
'I am here for you replacing him. If you have any problem and you
need help I am here to assist you.' They were very pleased and made
supplication for him." 1
12
Appeasing Thoughts
All of these bad manners are contrary to the teachings of Islaam, as
the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam said, None of you [truly]
believes until he loves for his brother that which he loves for himself 1
We see in our time people whose hearts have hardened. They have made
peoples tragedies topics to laugh at and they ridicule their pain and
anguish.
Some examples of this include: Rejoicing at the failure of their
neighbors children (at school), rejoicing when children encroach upon
the driver or maid, rejoicing at the misfortune of colleagues at work, a
woman rejoicing when a misfortune occurs to her husbands relatives or
the misfortune of his co-wife, or the divorce of her friend. So beware
of these people, as this is one of the characteristics of hypocrisy:
Allaah Says:
If good touches you it distresses them, but if harm
1
2
13
Appeasing Thoughts
As some souls have the desire for taking revenge from those who have
punished them or mistreated them, Allaah the Almighty has ordered us
to punish similarly with retaliation but without infringement. Allaah
Says:
So whoever has assaulted you then assault him in
the same way that he has assaulted you and fear
Allaah and know that Allaah is with those who fear
him [QURAAN 2:194].
This is because the Nafs (self/soul) usually does not stay within the
boundaries when authorized to punish as it requests revenge. So, Allaah
the Almighty requires us to be pious, which is to stay within the limits
and to not exceed them. 1
Taking revenge from someone who has caused you harm is forbiddenso
how about the vulnerable, weak person who did not cause you any harm?
14
Appeasing Thoughts
15
Appeasing Thoughts
The same applies for the one who has offended you and then comes to
apologize for their offence against you. Humility requires you to accept
his apology whether true of false and to leave his intention to Allaah.1.
Smiling:
Smiling in the face of your brother is a charity. This means: When
showing a kind face when you meet him you will gain the reward that you
16
Appeasing Thoughts
get for giving charity as well as it appeasing souls and increasing love
among people.
Ibn Uyaynah, may Allaah have mercy on him, said: A smiling face is a
source of affection.
You may run into someone on the street when you are worried or sad
and the person smiles at you making you feel as if your worries and
sadness have evaporated.
Muaath ibn Jabal, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: If two Muslims
meet and they laugh at one another and then shake each others hand,
their sins will be eroded like leaves falling from the tree. 2
So smiling makes love prevail among Muslims, it soothes them and sends
reassurance to hearts.
Tending to peoples needs:
The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam did not refrain from walking
with a widow or poor person and tending to their needs."
Hakeem ibn Haazim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said: There was no
day I woke up and saw someone seeking to fulfill his need, except I
would consider it a calamity of mine and I would seek reward for it (by
tending to their need.)"
Muhammad Ibn Abdul Waahid Az-Zaahid, may Allaah have mercy on
him, said: Not tending to the rights of a Muslim brother is a
17
Appeasing Thoughts
humiliation, and tending to their rights is sublimity so praise Allaah for
that and be quick to tend to their affairs.
Bakiy ibn Makhlad, may Allaah have mercy on him, walked with a weak
person because of an oppression that happened to him to Ishbeeliah
(Seville), and he walked with another one to Ilbiria, and with a weak
woman to Jayyaan.
All this despite his excessive worship, large number of students and his
preoccupation with knowledge and authoring works.
Reported in the book Tabakaat Al-Hanaabilah (1/200) and by At-Thahabi in his book Siyar
Alaam An-Nubalaa (15/510).
2 Reported by At-Thahabi in his book Siyar Alaam An-Nubalaa (13/295).
3 Reported in the book Aadaab Al-Ishrah (47).
18
Appeasing Thoughts
dress did not equal more than half a dinar. So he appeased her and
bought it for a thousand dinars, and he kept the dress as a shroud for
him.
Another way of taking the Nafs (self/soul) into consideration is by
hiding the increment and favor when soothing others:
When a man came to Al-Qaqaa ibn Shoor and sat with him, he would
give him a share of his wealth, aid him against his enemy, make
intercession for his need, and went to him after the gathering to thank
him.
We all are in need of this worship: the patient, the doctor, the
employee, the preacher, man or woman, the young and the oldeveryone
needs a kind word, a bright smile and good dealing.
Therefore it is mandatory upon us all to revive this act of worship and
employ it with the young and old, the sick and healthy, with students
and teachers, the scholar and the ignorant and the correct and the
incorrect one.
A child could become a great person whom his nation will benefit from
by a word that he heard from his teacher or one of his parents. A
patient could get well by hearing a supportive phrase and a good
supplication.
A wrong doer may become righteous by listening to a good sermon and
beneficial remembrance. We should strive to soothe the weak afflicted
person, the sad and burdened person and the one in worry and distress.
We should announce the good news that Allaah is close to them and He
knows their grief and their ordeal and He hears their prayers and their
secrets. We must tell them to send their complaints to Him and their
supplication, then wait for relief, as the mercy of Allaah is near to the
impelled. With hardship comes relief and with ordeal wellness and after
19
Appeasing Thoughts
disease remedy and with difficulty contentment and with hardship
there will be easeso how can you remain grief-stricken?
We must advise the afflicted person to utilize his weakness person to
connect them to Allaah, as He is the comfort of those in calamity and
He is the refuge of the ones in calamity. He is the master who can
relieve people of harm. Allaah Says:
20
Appeasing Thoughts
[QURAAN 55:48]
21
[QURAAN
Appeasing Thoughts
That flow for watering those trees and twigs. Allaah Says:
[QURAAN
55:52]
Of all kinds of fruits, which no eye has seen.
Ibn Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: "Any fruit in the
world sweet or sour is in Paradise."
Allaah Says:
on
22
[QURAAN 55:54]
Appeasing Thoughts
[QURAAN 69:
23]
Its fruits are close, so whenever they want it they can have it at any
position. So they are not prevented from taking, instead the branches
lower to them.
When he mentioned the beds and their magnificence, He said
afterwards, Allaah Says:
In them
[QURAAN 55:56]
[QURAAN 55:56]
Meaning: they do not look at anyone but their husbands, and they do not
see anything better in Paradise than their husbands. Allaah Says:
23
Appeasing Thoughts
Instead they are virgins devoted to their husbands and of equal age and
had not had intercourse with anyone before their husbands.
Then He said describing them to the ones coming forward for marriage,
Allaah Says:
[QURAAN 55:58]
[QURAAN
55:60]
The ones who did good in this life will find nothing but good for them in
the hereafter.
Allaah Says:
24
Appeasing Thoughts
Below the previous two gardens, are two gardens of a different kind.
The first two ones are for the close ones to Allaah and the other two
are for the people of the right. The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa
sallam said: The two gardens, the utensils and the contents of which
are of silver and the two other gardens, the utensils and contents of
which are of gold.
Allaah Says:
Allaah Says:
25
Appeasing Thoughts
Meaning that they pour out and overflow and never cut off.
Allaah Says:
26
Appeasing Thoughts
27
Appeasing Thoughts
[QURAAN 55:76]
It has been said carpet, brocade and also utilities. Al-Hasan Al-Basri,
may Allaah have mercy on him, said: "It is the carpet of the people of
Paradise, so ask Allaah for it."
Allaah Says:
1
2
28
Appeasing Thoughts
And
29
Appeasing Thoughts
the most terrible and evil prison, which is Hellfire that combines all
torment. It contains all types of suffering and is free from any joy.
Tafseer As-Sidi.
Reported by Al-Aloosi in his book Rooh Al-Maaani (24/31-32) and by Haqqi in his book
Tafseer Haqqi (21/336).
3 Reported by As-Sadi in his book Tafseer As-Sadi (1/730) and Abu Bakr Al-Jazaairi in his
book Aysar At-Tafaaseer (3/438).
2
30
Appeasing Thoughts
-They are driven into the Fire on their faces, not as they used to
walk in this world on their feet. This will increase their humiliation and
exaggeration of agony, as the face is the noblest thing in the human
being. Allaah Says (what means):
The ones who are gathered on their faces to Hell those are the worst in position and farthest astray in
[their] way [QURAAN 25:34]
31
Appeasing Thoughts
And
whoever He sends astray you will never find for them protectors
besides Him, and We will gather them on the Day of Resurrection
[fallen] on their faces blind, dumb and deaf. Their refuge is
Hell; every time it subsides We increase them in blazing fire
[QURAAN 17:97]
32
Appeasing Thoughts
Meaning, when Allaah gathers them on their faces humiliated, blind, and
dumb they do not see and nor do they speak. Their refuge meaning
residence and home, is Hell that collects all worries, distress and
torment.
Whenever the Fire extinguishes, Allaah Says:
Meaning: blazing Fire on them and their torment does not end. They will
not die, and the torment will never decrease. 1
Thus, the difference between honor and humiliation is clear among the
people of Paradise and the people of Fire, in their place of gathering
and each person is treated according to his situation and fate.
So the believer who follows the truth will be gathered in honor and the
misguided non-believer who was an offender to the clear truth, will be
driven like cattle, humiliated and disgraced.
Jk
1
33